In this recent article (click to read) I explained why I believe domain names can no longer determine web marketing performance like they used to. Well, the results I’m getting since losing my 9 year old spontaneousdevelopment.com a month ago, are proving me right!
In less than 4 weeks, I’ve re-built my website and re purposed the content onto my 1 year old domain (tayosolagbade.com), AND my sales leads generation – and conversion – has actually increased!
Maybe if my income has been pay per click based, the story would have been different. I cannot say, since I’ve never sold ads on my website.
Instead, my online presence has always been focused on generating quality SALES leads for my unique range of products and services.
Hint: Careful analysis of the sources of these leads, has given me deeper insights into how to maximize the results I’m getting. Want to know what I discovered? Email me via tayo at tksola dot com.
One product that’s getting even more popular by the day, judging from enquiries I keep getting via email, web form and even Facebook, is my Excel-VB Driven Poultry Farm Manager.
Today, I was in a conversation with a prospect who’d emailed me from Owerri in Nigeria about my popular feed formulation handbook. I’d replied that he call me on my mobile line here in Cotonou (+229-66-122-136), and he’d done that this morning.
We spoke for over 10 minutes, during which time I learnt that he was rearing about 1000 birds, and wanted help reducing his feeding costs.
Like so many others, he was buying commercial feed, and that was leaving him with next to nothing in profits by the time sales were done.
From my assessment of his understanding of feed formulation, I told him he would be better off purchasing my handbook (to learn best practice feed formulation and compounding), along with the Ration Formulator software (to put what he learns into practical use).
He agreed, and we discussed prices …etc.
Then he mentioned that he also wanted to be able to measure performance parameters for his birds, like mortality rates etc.
At this point I really began to like the young man. He was really thinking smart.
And that’s something that always excites me. You see, I am keen to connect with business owners who are willing to dig deeper to better understand their operations, so as to get improved results.
I told him that he would find my Poultry Farm Manager app useful for tracking mortality rates and other useful Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like Hen Day Percentages, Feeding Rates , Feed to Eggs Conversation Ratio (for layers), as well as Feed to Flesh Conversion Ratio (for broilers).
Incidentally, that was not all we’d talked about…he also wanted to know why I shuttle between two countries (as you probably do too)…
During our conversation, he asked my why I was not based in Nigeria, given what I told him was the heavy patronage I was getting from Farm CEOs in Nigeria.
It was a question many before him had asked me.
Since we were on phone, I went ahead and gave him a brief explanation, that was a summary of what I’ve since written in an published some months back.
In case you also wonder, it’s titled "Why I relocated from Nigeria to Benin Republic"(click to read).
We spoke a little longer about this, just before the connection broke (for the 3rd time – each time he’d called back).
About 5 minutes later a phone text message from him arrived that read as follows:
“Tayo,
I need the (Poultry) Management software. Pls. I will also need clarification on how one can separate broiler chicks from layer chicks after hatching your eggs. Or how can one produce broiler chicks and layer chicks? Thanks for your time."
Here’s the email I sent him in response…
====Start of Email Transcript====
Hi John,
Since you want to purchase the Poultry Farm Manager as well, the total investment breakdown is now as follows:
1. Feed Formulation Handbook – N8,000.00
*All handbook buyers get a FREE copy of my 30 page Annotated Pictorial Introduction to Feed Ingredients (N7,500 value) – you get it FREE.
2. Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator – N12,500.00
3. Excel-VB driven Poultry Manager (Mini Monthly version) – N25,000.00
Click the link below to download/view the PDF preview of the Mini Monthly version of the Poultry Farm Manager: I created this mini version following requests from farm owners from within/outside Africa for a less "pricey" version.
<Download link removed – email tayo at tksola dot com if you want it>
You can watch the demonstration video for the original, full fledged version of the Excel Visual Basic driven Poultry Layers Farm Operations Management software (priced at N250k):
http://www.tayosolagbade.com/pfmgr.html
ABOUT PAYMENT….
<text deleted>
Find payment details below:
<Bank details removed – email tayo at tksola dot com if you want them>
Email or SMS me the transaction details if/when you pay, so I can confirm(in case the alert does not come).
PRODUCT DELIVERY DETAILS:
Once your payment is confirmed, I’ll email you the items you’ve paid for, personalized with your name and other details (including your photo, if you send it in).
The Excel-VB Ration Formulator app will be accompanied by a PDF user guide that gives step-by-step instructions on how to use it.
Same applies to the Poultry Farm Manager.
The Feed Formulation handbook will be delivered as a PDF document, as will its accompanying 30 page Annotated Pictorial Introduction to Feed Ingredients.
Recent buyers in Kano, Jos, Uyo and Warri have paid to have me send them physical printed/bound copies of the handbook, and branded DVDs containing the software, complete with tutorial videos etc, via Fed Ex and DHL. If you want that, let me know.
Whatever you choose to buy, I will be accessible by phone/Skype/Facebook chat or email to support you.
Let me know if you have further queries.
You can call me on +229-66-122-1361 (in Cotonou) or +234-803-302-1263 (if I’m in Nigeria).
With kindest regards.
Tayo K. Solagbade
====End of Email Transcript====
Now, just 24 Hours Earlier, I’d email a detailed response to questions sent in by a Tanzanian poultry farmer about my Poultry Farm Manager software!
He’d watched the video I put online, and contacted me via the web form on the video page.
Following my initial response, he sent in a series of questions that I believe others may find my answers to useful.
So, here’s a verbatim transcript of the email I sent to the Poultry Farm CEO in Tanzania, yesterday (2nd June 2014)…
====Start of Email Transcript====
Isaac,
1. You asked: How much is the software in dollars?
Answer:
I always refer prospective international buyer to http://www.coinmill.com or http://www.xe.com
See attached screen shot taken some minutes ago, when I converted N25k to USD using www.coinmill.com
It came to $154.32 USD.
If you wanted to check for N250k, that would be a multiple of 10 i.e. $1,543.2 USD
2. You asked: How will I receive the software after payment
Answer:
2 possibilities…
A. I email it to you in a compressed zipped folder (.zip extension)
In the email will be a download link to a PDF user guide, personalized for your use, with your contact details.
B. If you prefer, I could send it to you on a DVD, with the PDF user guide You cover courier delivery feeds. Last time I checked, delivery to Tanzania was N15k via Fed ex
In my opinion, choose this option only if you’d like to pickup another physical product, like my Feed Formulation & Compounding Video Tutorials, Handbook & Software Bundle.
Otherwise the courier expense overhead would be too great.
The decision is however yours to make.
3. You asked: How do I pay?
Three (3) possibilities:
A. Bank transfer to my USD denominated domiciliary account with…
B. Via Western Union
C. <third option removed for privacy. I regard it as a last option as it involves receiving payment via a 3rd party>
4. You asked: any surety with the software that it has been approved to work for both broiler farmers and layer farmers. Looking forward to hear from you.
Answer:
Not sure what you mean by "approved"…
I have never had to get my apps "approved" for use.
Basically, I expect those who come to me to know what they want.
If they don’t I offer guidance about what would be useful to have for best practice purposes.
If they are convinced, they go on to buy.
If they are NOT convinced, we part ways amicably. :-))
Now, if on the other hand, you meant to ask whether my Poultry Farm Manager has been "proven" to work for broilers and layers, here’s my answer. And it is necessarily a bit long:
Isaac, there’s another app I sell to farmers, which is more popular is the Excel-VB Ration Formulator (See video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99xm1EQJJdo)
It has been bought and used by buyers within and outside Africa since 2004.
During that time I have actively taken feedback from users who were willing to give it, to improve on it.
That’s why it’s evolved into the powerful, yet highly flexible, low cost and user friendly feed formulation resource it is today.
I decided to develop the Ration Formulator when I identified an unmet need for such a solution in the market, through my interaction with Farm CEOs.
The same situation led me to develop the Poultry Farm Manager for a 12,000 layer farm in 2009. The couple who owned the farm hired me to build it for them.
So we sat down to draw up the Functional Requirements Specifications, that ensured the final app did exactly what we agreed was needed to allow daily data recording and report generation for timely decision making.
Since then, I have customized it for use with another farm in South West Nigeria. It was after finishing that project and writing about it on my website that I began getting enquiries from farmers from even the USA.
This made me realize that once again, off-the-shelf apps probably did not meet the needs of farm owners. That was when I chose to put the Poultry Farm Manager software online for sale.
Take a good read through the PDF I sent you, and you’ll see I mentioned that the app was originally built for Layers farms.
However, many of the enquiries I’ve been getting have come from Broiler farm owners – some having both broilers and layers.
That’s why I (as I said in the PDF I sent you) I decided to ADD extra interfaces to capture broiler records and generate corresponding industry relevant Broiler Key Performance Indicators (e.g. Feed to Flesh Conversion Ratio and Feeding Rate).
Anyone who buys the N25k app will find it offers useful value well ABOVE the N25k s/he’s paid. You would be able to use it satisfactorily to do what it promises as spelt out in my PDF.
Simply put, it works. And you have access to my zero cost support 24/7 via phone email, facebook, chat etc, if any issues arise.
This is the trade off I am willing to make, to help interested Farm CEOs.
Those who decide they want the rest of the full app’s features can then let me know.
Anyone who wants special inclusions/modifications will also let me know, and I would supply details of what delivering that would entail.
This is how I work Isaac.
I collaborate with farm owners to develop low cost custom solutions that do what they need them to do.
Over time, with each app, I am able to fine tune the main app, using the feedback I get, to instantly be used by all other businesses. This was how I got my Ration Formulator to be ready-for-use by anyone.
And it was also how I got my Payslip Generator to be the same way (see video at http://www.excelheaven.biz or http://www.excelheaven.tayosolagbade.com)
Personally, I believe most smallholder farm businesses will continue to need the help of extension professionals highly skilled in low cost development of easy-to-use apps, to run their businesses.
A one size fits all solution will then evolve from those efforts. My successes over the years prove this is the way to go.
Hope this helps.
Do let me know if you have any further queries.
Tayo
====End of Email Transcript====
Are you interested in any of the above mentioned products?
Or do you have any questions of your own you want answered with regard to any of my products?
If yes, simply email me via tayo at tksola dot com or fill/submit this web form, to ask me now!
Final Words: What else can a website owner seeking QUALITY sales leads ask for?!
Such great sales conversations with serious prospective buyers happening almost every day of the week. And over 60% actually end up as sales!
Now, if the traffic widget on this blog is anything to go by, I’m getting NOTHING close to what I was getting when this website of mine was hosted on spontaneousdevelopment.com – the 9 year old website.
Yet, this newer domain tayosolagbade.com is harvesting much higher Google generated sales leads within less than ONE month!
Yet, all I do is create new content and deploy via my Web Marketing System online via different channel formats I’ve setup – NONE of which costs me any money.
Wow!
This proves what I’ve learnt over 10 years of studying the results I get online, that NOT everyone needs lots of traffic to make sales.
If you know what you sell, and identify your target audience correctly, then develop and implement an effective strategy for attracting those who fit your target audience profile, you’ll get all the traffic you need!